It starts like this.

He stayed up until the time when the cars on the streets start to clear. It's 2:37 am now, and he's ready. Packing his bag with the usuals from last tuesday night, he heads out his unlocked studio door, with his full backpack over both shoulders, strapped across his chest as if he were backpacking across Europe. Scurrying down the cement stairs of the inside of his complex he heads out the heavy metal front door. Approaching the street from the sidewalk, he knows where he is going to go. The best place yet. The best urban canvas, with most possible attention, and maximum surface area. His last piece was under a bridge-- that wouldn't work this time. He wanted this one to be noticed. He wanted this one in a place where everyone would see, a place where no one would not see, and the entire population of San Francisco can stop and stare at the large silouetted piece that intimidated them from the gray cement wall.

He is a stencil graffitti artist, and was out not only to impress, but to be an activast against George W. Bush.

Today is Sunday, and last Friday, he almost got caught. He almost got caught doing a small piece--one of ameteur measure, one like the frist one he did just four years ago. It was a small stencil, with script to the right. Silhouetted on the left was a small boy, pictured, shoulders up, hold an automatic gun pointed to the sky. To the right, END THE WAR in black, bold text. He drew this in about a half an hour, and stenciled it in a matter of minutes, every moment thinking about what kind of reaction he will get out of this small 6 X 5 inch stencil. Will people agree? Will people scrub it away, being completely oblivious to the meaning of this small piece of art? Will it live through a couple of weeks, gaining enough attention to make other people stand up against the bull shit of the current government? Or will it just be bi-passed, not erased, nor examined, and just overlooked? Unknown he sprayed and moved on. But he couldn't move on, an old man, half bald, grey haired wearing nothing but sweat pants and an oversiezed shirt walked around the corner of the brick wall where he stood. Staring him straight in the eye he turned and ran down the opposite alley, hearing nothing but vulgar sayings and derrogatory remarks about tag artists in the area from the hackling old man.

But he wasn't a tagger. He was a stencil artist. An activist. A citizen speaking up through art forms expressed to the community. This bothered him, but only drove him to do more.

This frustration rumbled in his mind, inspiring him to do tonights piece. Just two blocks from the large, vertical, gray surface in an alley near Mission and 24th, right around the corner from BART, he saw only a few people, mainly drunk middle aged groups, weaving the sidewalks as they walked.

Approaching the alley and walking past it once, he gave a quick surveylance of the surroundings. Nothing. It was perfect, nobody around. He turned around and walked down the dark, musty alley that only lead to 23rd street--an easy short-cut many took after getting off BART.



Setting his backpack on the ground against the brick wall behind him, he took into accound the light he had to work with. Only a small stretch that gleamed around the corner from a street light up above. He accepted that, and began to unpack his bag. First pulling out the 6 sheets of paper that made up the stencil he planned to spray. He then took out some duck tape and began to arrange the puzzled sheets of paper, configuring the make-up of the stencil. As he finished taping it into place against the half lit wall, he took a step back, observing what his final piece planned to look like. After shifting each paper here and there abit, he was able to arrange it perfectley square on the wall.



Pulling out a half empty, black spray-paint can as well as a full one, he again surveyed the area while shaking the two cans vigourously in both hands, trying to keep the clanking of the mixing-marble inside to a minimum. After about forty seconds of mixing, he was ready.



Starting with a test spray against the white, non-cut-out part of the stencil, he sprayed, beginning to get the feeling he always does when he starts a piece on the streets. It was an uncomfortable feeling, one he couldnt quite explain. But as uncomfortable as it was, he liked it. He liked it because it meant he was spreading his ideas--political, cultural and social ideas.



As the feeling intensified, he swiftly sprayed the black paint over the gray area revealed by the stencil, giving each piece of paper that make up the stencil it's own attention. He continued spraying over buches face, working his way down to the bottom tf the stencil where it read FAIL. Finishing at the bottom, he was satisfied with the even coat of black paint that he had just created across the stencil. He removed the tape, one at a time, and the pieces of paper stayed in place from the sticky black paint that held them together. Taking a deep breath he slowly pulled away the pieces of paper, revealing, what he thought of, was the best stencil he had ever done. It was perfect and the image that lay in front of him was exaclty what he expected. It was fairly big, about 2 feet by 3 feet and was just the perfect size. Done, he realized, noticing the time of 4:07 am. Taking a step back, he gathered his things and walked away, only to hear the sound of a piece of metal clanging against the pole of a flagpole (3), just around the corner, which ended his project in ther perfect manner.

What is this thing called graffiti?

The merriam webster definition of graffiti is as follows:
Graffiti (n.) unauthorized writing or drawing on a public surface
However, the common encyclopedia Encarta defines it as:
Graffiti (n.) writing on walls: drawings or words that are scratched, painted, or sprayed on
walls or surfaces in public palces.

Here we see, a similarity in the two definitions but the second mentions nothing about it being illegal, or unauthorized, as said in the first. This is interesting because the first definition is one of the only definitons I have seen that has stated "unauthorized" in its text.

Graffiti began as a form of political activism and a way to claim territory and is known to mainly begin during the mid 60's in Philidelphia, Pensylvania (Eric). It has seemed to then progressively translate into something used by gangs, to claim territory, intimidate, etc. This then lead more to people tagging words or phrases with what seems no ultimate cause.

What is graffiti today?

According to Ian Condry in his book, Hip-Hop Japan: Rap and the Paths of Cultural Globalization, he explains graffiti to be one of four parts of the hip-hop scene, followed by breakdance, rap, and DJing. He explains globilization of hip-hop, and with that gobilization of hip-hop, as he defines, some the globilization of graffitti.
Condry also states that graffiti artists in the hip-hop world in Japan "work for hire" (Condry 8) Rap artists use graffiti as a source of their growing hip-hop culture. Is that what we do here today? Although I dont think it is as extreme as it is in Japan, Graffiti plays a huge role in the typical view of hip-hop, from designs graffitied on shirts, to images on CD covers. But today is hip-hop big on graffiti? No. Political activism is.
Today, the term graffiti, I think, needs a new definition. The definition needs to be updated, adding the idea of political activism, to the realm of why some graffiti artist do what they do, once again. It started out with activists spreading their ideas in public domain, and I think in todays time, more and more politically driven graffiti is created. What also should be added to the definition is the word art. It plays a key role in the idea of graffitti today, and this new idea of stenciling a picture only adds to not only the definition of graffiti, but the definition of art itself.

What is stenciled graffiti?

A stenciled piece of graffiti is, to me, a more artisitc approach to the entirety of graffiti itself. It shows artistic ability, commitment, control, passion, and so much more all in one simple picture or set of words. Now, don't get me wrong, but not every thirteen-year-old "gang banger" can draw up a stencil, cut it out with percision, get ahold of some spraypaint, properly mount the stencil to an appropriate area, spray the spray paint evenly throughout and patienly pull away the paper without smearing the image. No, this just doesn't happen. Instead, they will get a black sharpie, if they are lucky, an extra thick sharpie, go into the nearest grocery stores bathroom, and write their newest gang symbol on the inner side of the toilet stall.

Stencils play on shadows, outlines, written word, and silhouettes. Whatever form a stencil is in, it makes you think. It makes the interpreter first interpret what he or she thinks the artist was trying to convey, and second, interpret their own feelings on how he or she feels about the peace. Wherether it be in aggreeance, or utter disgust, majority of the time stenciled art makes people think.
Therefore Stenciling is an art. An art few can do, and many attempt to do...and here is my own personal attempt

The invisible man: Banksy

FIGURE 1

Banksy is amazing. He is one of the most well known artists in the world of stencil graffiti. His talent and creativity has influenced societies all over the world. He is an artist, though many would not think so. He is an acitvist, one many may hate. And he is an idol, one that many may look up to.

The best and most intriguing thing about Banksy himself is that he is unknown. No one knows his face, height, age, hair color, etc to be exact; Only a few estimates are to be known about him including those that say he was born in 1974 in Bristol, UK. All people know is his art. His art is a world phenomenon, and has displayed it in places all over the world including places such as Bristol, London, Paris, Los Angeles, New York, New Orleans, Greece, Sydney, Australia, Palestine, and much, much more.

The first movie above gives a great insiders view of Bankst for beginners and you even get to possible hear his voic in an interview

The second video however shows something other than stenciled graffiti. At one of his art shows, he displayed this elephant, representing world poverty. This large animal is litterally the "elephant in the room," but its painted skin matches that of the wallpaper on the walls just behind his art. Symbolizing the problem of world poverty as the "elephant in the room," but making it blend in with the surroundings makes this piece magnificent. His ideals are key in his art, and his political activism is what seems to drive his every move.

Because he is so well know in the world of street art, he is an inspiration. As Condry spoke of Globilization of hip-hop into Japan, Banksy drove the globilization or political activism through iurban art across the world. People see his worka nd try to replicate a stencil just os obscene, or beautiful. Many who share the same views as he, try to activate in the same ways he does, or they support him in every way. Banksy himself, through his art and activism, has spread the concept of urban art around the world and has created a subculture of followers who love most of the things he does.

What is art activism?

With one foot in the art world and the other in the world of political activism and
community organizing, a remarkable hybrid emerged in the mid-1970s, expanded in the
1980s, and is reaching critical mass and becoming institutionalized in the late 1990s
(Felshin 9).

Today, over thirteen years after this quote was published, the idea of art activism is becoming more and mroe institutionalized and has become more of a global phenomenom than ever before. Using displays an immediate idea, without the long readings of a paper or anticipation of an entire speech. When an artist uses art for activism he is putting in more than just his ideas. He puts forth commitment, time, creativity, and even risks being fined or arrested.

In turn, art activism is more than just graffiti on a wall. It's more than just a bunch of paint that goes unnoticed in a busy city. It is a strong form of political activism, and not much can compare to its unnevitable reaction.

Point Blank

Why go to such an extreme to put your beliefs out there? Why risk being fined or even arrested just to say that you think Bush is a failure? Just ask any person who is involved in political activism through graffiti, and they will answer without hesitation.

Michael Taussig speaks on instituting Terror on a community in his piece Terror As Usual: Walter Benjamins Theory of History as State of Siege. He writes on the idea of poverty in the world in saying, "People like you and me close their eyes to it, in a manner ofspeaking, but suddenly an unanticipated event occurs, perhaps a dramatic orpoignant or ugly one, and the normality of the abnormal is shown for what itis" (Taussig 18). Banksy wants to be that "sudden and unanticipated event" that occurs in society that makes people think. Arguably, this is what political activism through urban art is about--getting a reaction out of people to make a change.

There is not enough random and unnexpected occurances in the world, and far not enough for people to take notice of something that is wrong in order to take a stand. Therefore, a portrait painted on a public space gets that rise out of people and gets people thinking. Even if they are in dissagreeance with the artist, they still are given a chance to think about their opinions on sociological or political issues.

How do we see?

The final project of a stencil in a public place is seen by everyone. The artist however, is rarly seen. How does this affect our interpretation of his or her art? You tell me. If we knew what the artist looked liked, everyime we saw one of there peaces, we would automatically picture that individual in our head. This is not what the artist wants. he doesnt care if you know what he or she looks like because that would take away from the entirety of his piece. He or she wants you to see his piece of art, and not thought up portrait of him.

As Paul Rodaway explains, the sense of sight is presented immediately, whereas the auditory sense is picked up over a period of time (Rodaway 27). This is exactly what happens in the perception of a stencil--The image is seen, and judgements are made immediately. Now people may take a while to take in the image or concepte vivdly thrown in front of them, but it is far more imeediate than say a speech or a song, which one must wait to the end of the song or speeech to fully inherit the speakers message.

The Future of Street Art

Because of people like Banksy, and resources like the internet, many people are picking up the idea of art activism creating their own pieces and displaying them on a public surface. However, many current artists feel that art activism may becom treny and become exploited like manoy other trends before (C100 9). We see this today with many pieces of greaffiti that are pretty useless to the idea of art.

Take this piece for example, found here in Davis. It was made using what seems to be a permanent marker. It portrays Abe Lincoln in a simple, skethcy manner. It is pretty creative in that it is simple and everyone can tell it is Abe Lincoln. But who cares? No one can really understnd the point of putting an outline of Abe Lincol on the side of a dumpster. Its purpose is almost 100 % unknown and this kind of art is what I think art activists today are afraid of.

Now you might think words are the only thing that may effectively express an artists idea, but that is incorrect. Take this stencil done by Banksy himself on the wall that separates Palestine and and Israel. he stencils a picture of a little girl who seems to be floating over the wall to get to the other side. This directly presents his ideas on the neccessity of this wall and the urge many people have to get over it, litterally. he visited Palestine and stenciled this entire wall with many pieces of the same content, from ladders to little windows that make an illusion of viewing the other side.

Culture and the Big Idea

From pointless distraction to political activism, Graffiti is a main aspect that can define many sub-cultures. The graffiti of an area can represent the political views of some people in that area, or show the artistic ability of many others. Tolerance play a huge part in art activism. If the community isn't tolerant of the piece, and the ideas, nothing would ever come about. However, if the community is tolerant of the piece, it can stay for ever, and can avoid be scrubbed away for ages.

Take Davis for example, there are stencils of political activism in many places throughout the city. Do they get wiped away? In amny cases they don't. Davis itself is pretty liberal, so the majority of the activism that goes on is almost always in agreeance with the majority. Therefore, stencils stay, and new ideas can be formed. However, if someone was to act against the majority in a city, that piece is likely to be undermined by being sprayed over, or simple cleaned away. The Poll to the right of this post is done mainly by people from Davis, and the results thus far are in agreeance with Graffiti being considered art even in a public place. This gives an example of toleracne of a community to things such as graffiti. These two were found over by Arlington apartments and are evident examples of art activism.

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